A Skillful Mind

Silouan

The skill of meditation seems to be synonymous with the Dhamma, but how important is it to become familiar with the suttas and use them as reproof in all aspects of our life for developing a skillful mind?

Jeffrey

It's important. Use your intuition to decide what to spend your time on.

In my practice usually though not this month I read a chapter of a dharma book each day. I used to be in a Pali Sutra club, but that was ages ago. Since then I read books rather than sutras.

So my answer is that it is up to you.

how

I thought a skillful mind was simply a mind that is unhindered by the limits of self interest. I think the value of the suttas , like service to others and meditation is simply to show you how to live there.
Of course I find folks with the spiritual aim of the development of a skillful mind often put it's development above selflessness which IMO sabotages their aims.

Silouan

@how You have several years of practice and perhaps can now discard the raft, but I think there is a general tendency in our society to put the cart before the horse, and to want to get to point B by skimming or skipping through point A. I use these linear references, because our society typically doesn’t think compositely, so it is reflective of that thought process.

However, it is clear from the collection of suttas that the Buddha devoted much of his teachings on topics other than formal meditation practices, because of the fact that he was teaching to novices and those unfamiliar with his doctrines.

Even the five ascetics were accomplished in meditation, but they too needed to listen to teachings from the Buddha after his awakening, and apply what was heard in order to reach the other shore, so I think this aspect is very significant but is often missed or down played when in actuality a composite balance is needed.

lobster

simply to show you how to live there.

Exactly so. A wisdom base, whatever it's nature, is a template on which to draw on for a comprehension of what is happening. It also becomes easy to differentiate between relevant, yet to be known and expediency.